Stuart MacKenzie

Stuart MacKenzie began his rowing career at King’s School in Sydney. He contested the 1956 Australian single sculls championship because he felt Australian great, Merv Wood, was a bit old for Olympic selection. MacKenzie won that championship easily and represented Australia at the 1956 Olympics, where he won a silver medal in the single sculls, although he was beaten soundly by Soviet Vyacheslav Ivanov.

Most of MacKenzie’s fame is attributed to his success at Henley where he won the Diamond Sculls for six straight years, 1957-62. In 1959, he became the first man to win both the single and double sculls at Henley. In two of the Diamond Sculls championships, MacKenzie avenged his Olympic defeat to Ivanov. MacKenzie was also European single sculls champion in 1957-58 (both times defeating Ivanov), and won the British Empire Games single and double sculls in 1958.

Although a great champion, he was extremely cocky, and was considered one of the most unpopular rowers ever at Henley. Among his other antics, he once stopped in mid-race to adjust his cap, allowed his opponent to catch up, and then rowed away easily to win. In 1959 he moved to England, stating that he had no competition in Australia, and he remained in Britain for over 30 years. He missed the 1960 Games due to an operation on a duodenal ulcer. Late in his career, he rowed eights for England.